State of the Art
The present invention relates to targets used for target practice. More specifically, the present invention relates to target systems which can be readily modified to facilitate different target training exercises, and to facilitate the adjustment or replacement of bullet-deflecting targets on the target system.
Field of Art
In order to maintain proficiency in the use of firearms, it is common for law enforcement officers, members of the military, and sportsmen to engage in target practice. While many perceive target practice as simply a method for improving accuracy, it is important for law enforcement officers and the like to conduct target practice in scenarios which improve timing and the ability to make split-second decisions on whether or not to fire. Such split-second decisions can mean the difference between life and death both for the officer and the potential threat.
In order to properly train police officers, it is important that they develop both hand-eye coordination and that they receive sensor stimulation which is associated with actual conditions. Thus, it is important for law enforcement officers to be able to see when a target has been hit. It is also important that the target remain upright sufficiently to simulate the reactions of a typical target. Thus, for example, a target which falls when hit by a single shot may not provide appropriate stimulus to the officer, when a typical perpetrator would take several rounds before being sufficiently incapacitated that he or she would no longer pose a threat.
It is also important to train officers by requiring them to repeatedly be in situations in which they are forced to decide whether the target poses a threat within a fraction of a second. In real life situations, hesitating to fire can cost the officer his life. Firing too quickly can result in the death of an innocent party.
One common type of target is a pop-up target. A pop-up target is typically disposed behind a shield and includes a target which can be made to stand generally vertical. When the target is hit by a bullet, the target will fall over, thereby providing a visual stimulus that the target has been hit. An arm often engages the target and lifts it back into a vertical position to allow further shooting. Other targets may use a spring to draw the target back to the upright position.
Another type of target is a shoot-through target which has distinctive “kill zones.” Such a target may provide a silhouette of a person or representation of a person similar to an IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) target or an FBI-Q training target and have cut-outs in areas where a hit would most likely be fatal (typically the areas associated with the head and parts of the chest). The officer often will not be able to advance until the target has been hit in the kill zone. Thus, the officer is placed under stress until he or she has properly hit the target in such a way that a real person would be incapacitated if so hit.
A third type of target includes a blocking plate which may be positioned in a forward position to present a general target area for a shooter. One or more openings are formed in the blocking plate in areas where it may be desirable for the shooter to hit. At least one target is placed behind the opening(s) in the blocking plate. The target is movable when struck by a bullet to provide a visual indication that the target has been hit by the shooter. In such a manner, the shooter is provided with an immediate indication as to whether the shot was successful. An advantage of such a system is that the target may be attached to the blocking plate by a hinge-and-pin mechanism, and the hinge-and-pin mechanism allows the target to be attached to and removed from the blocking plate without the use of tools. However, over time, the pin may become bent, preventing the target from being easily removed from the blocking plate.
In such a system, the target is also subject to repeated jolting from impact with bullets. When these impacts occur rapidly, the target may ‘shimmy’ up through the hinge-and-pin mechanism, and eventually could fall off the blocking plate. Such an event prevents the target from being used, and could require a stop to shooting practice while an individual walks downrange to replace the target on the blocking plate frame.
Further, in order to maximize the benefit of training, it is often desirable to change the targets between each exercise. This prevents the officer from getting accustomed to the target layout, color combinations (e.g. a scenario in which the officer is only to shoot at green targets) and anticipating what will be presented. However, with many existing target designs, changing the targets can be time consuming and burdensome.
Additionally, shooting ranges spend a great deal of time and money on replacing both targets and the devices to which they are mounted as both become damaged. When targets are made of lightweight material, such as cardboard, they are easier to replace, but do not last long. Additionally, bullets travel readily through a cardboard target, and must be stopped by other features of the shooting range, such as dirt berms or bullet containment traps. When targets are made of metal instead, they can be unwieldy and difficult to replace in most systems. Some types of target systems, if the target is made of less penetrable material, can also risk deflecting a bullet back at the shooter. Finally, many types of bullet target systems cannot adequately work with large-dimension targets, such as the standard International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) official target, which measures 18 and ¼ inches by 30 and ¾ inches; or the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) official target, which measures 18 and ¼ inches by 30 and ⅛ inches.
While there are high-tech shooting ranges which are configured to place an officer in a variety of situations, such shooting ranges are too expensive for many law enforcement agencies. Thus, there is a need for simple bullet targets which provide improved situation stimulus, improved wear particularly when subject to constant fire, more efficient replacement of the targets when they become worn, improved bullet deflection and collection, and compatibility with standard target shapes.